The Muhanga Court has convicted four students found guilty to have burnt the school three times recently. Three of them will cope two years and half of imprisonment while one other will pass year and half in jail.
Mukansanga Bernadette ,the Judge from the Court said that judgment considered both sides arguments and independently took judgmentdecisions concerning those teenagers.
Mahirwe Irenée and Kayiranga Gaus are convicted to pass two years and half in jail because they have masterminded the plan to burn the school and implemented it three times .
The Court affirmed that Mugisha Mubarak and Niyitanga Théoneste are guilty to have been accomplices in the commitment of the crime.
This Mugisha has denied the truth in front of the court but chose to ask for compensations for his shoes perished by the fire.
Niyitanga Théoneste is the only student that has accepted his involvement and asked for mercy. This beared that the court has set one year in jail as a punishment.
The defense for those students stated that pity and pardon should be guaranteed to these students but the court rejected the statement showing that this can increase the sense of irresponsibility in punishing crimes of such intensity.
None will pay for the destroyed items. Nevertheless,they will pay 50.300 Rwandan Francs to the court as judgment fees(amagarama y’urubanza).
At their arrest, there were six students but two of them were too young to be brought to justice and were released.
For your own information, Byimana Secondary school of Sciences were put on fire three times between 23, April to 2 June 2013.
Mahirwe said that students wanted to show the general public and to parents that they were uncomfortable at that school and they leave it.
Elysée MUHIZI
UM– USEKE/Muhanga
